Dev Diary - Comics World: Spies in Trouble

I will look for that option (Web & Mobile) on the game option.
And also confirm the option my game is selected.

I did start the development using an existing Game Pack on Stencyl Forge. My mistake, but as I said, I did start all fresh. Newbie experiencing a new development platform.
But I do hope that I am doing a good work.

It has only 3 scenes by now. 2 almost complete and 1 in "working status" (that when gets done will be the time I will release the demo).
So if I need to create a new "game" and migrate the existing code will not be "hell on earth" (if I may express myself like that"). Only 3 scenes, a few behaviors (that I can export / import) and actors.

I guess my game is with mobile and web mode. As I do have seen "IOS options" on the coding. Not only on actors options (IOS touch) but also on the coding itself  I have seen some IOS options. But I will confirm it later.

One last question, just to clear my doubts (sorry if I didnt understand it yet):
Should I keep creating the images with the 320 pixel (height) resolution in mind? Or should I create it higher and the 4x/2x will take care of making it 320 when needed?


Again - thanks a lot for all that tips / info. I hope it helps others also.

Maybe just stick with 2x images for now since you can't import 4x images in Stencyl 2.  Design your graphics for retina iPhones, but your scene size will be based on 1x, not 2x.  So despite supporting retina iPhone, your scene would be 320 height, not 640 height.

Maybe just stick with 2x images for now since you can't import 4x images in Stencyl 2.  Design your graphics for retina iPhones, but your scene size will be based on 1x, not 2x.  So despite supporting retina iPhone, your scene would be 320 height, not 640 height.

And then, only when I do start using Stencyl 3 I should create 4x images?
Even my game being on Stencyl 2, I will focus the images being as 640 pixels height.
As I do plan to launch the demo on flash online first. And it got a lot better with double the size.

When it comes the time to launch on mobile (I hope that time will come) I just may need to resize some images. But the demo will be a beautiful one. 

Yeah, you'll want to make 4x images eventually if you want to support retina tablets.

Yeah, you'll want to make 4x images eventually if you want to support retina tablets.

THANKS A LOT!!!

1x = 320
2x = 640
4x = 1080


Thanks!!!
I will keep the changes for 640, as I do think it will be better for my online demo.
If everything goes well then I will subscribe and get the license for Stencyl 3, so the image will already be adjusted for it (2x).

Stencyl 2 is only the kickoff for me. The learning platform.
I do not plan on keeping on it.
Stencyl 3 will be the next step as I did write before.

Again: MANY THANKS!
A lot of good info was learned!!!


Edit:
Read a lot about it.
And I think I got it.

Design your game as 1x (320 pixels).
Create your images at the maximum size you want it to run (1.5x, 2x, 4x).

When you do import your image you do specify the scale of it.
If its 2x (640 pixels) you do select it as 2x on the combo and the game you treat it automatically.

GREAT LESSON LEARNED!!!

For now I will keep changing to 2x.
If it goes forward and receive good feedbacks I may study to change it to 4x (Stencyl 3).

Guys...

Today I am really, but really thankful for the export option.
Yesterday I got home with the "scale" thing in mind. And I did confirm that my game was not "mobile" friendly. It was only Web. =(

But, as its known: better sooner than latter.
Right?

Now I am exporting its behaviors, actors and everything I may export, to import into the new one I am creating (same game - different setup).
So, THANK YOU FOR THE GUY WHO CREATE THE EXPORT OPTION!!!

But, now I am fully aware about the "scale" issue and all adjustments I have to do to be mobile "friendly".

It will be a hard work? Yes. But rescaling the images will be harder (and I was already doing that!!).

Soon I will post a "before x after" image.
Comparing the 320 resolution versus the 640, so you guys may be able to see the difference.

Thanks!

It was a bit of a hard work. But it was worthy.
Now I do know how the "scale" and "mobile" thing work on the game. So, I guess its now ready for mobile and web - or at least I think its ready - lol.

Let me try to exemplify the diference between the previously game and the actual one from resolution point of view:

Before:


After:

(this image has no black outline on the guard character - it now has, as you may see bellow).

and


You see the black outline border on the guard? I will do the black outline on the main character as well.

But now I see the characters more clearly.
Its more well designed (more pixels).

Here is the image I am using (90 pixels high, the original one if 500 pixels high):


and


As I do choose 2x on the image loader, it gets rescaled, so its not that good.
But I am still learning on the go.
I hope I dont need to migrate it all again... only when I do start using Stencyl 3.

Best regards and thanks a lot for all the tips!!! You guys are helping a lot!

Probably in a 2 to 3 weeks period I will launch my demo online.
(I do hope not to delay it).

Still have some tweaks do to on the engine. And menu / intro. And sound (which is null right now).

But the game itself (for the demo) is around 90% ready to be shown.

I am really looking forward to it, as I am very curious about the feedback it may receive.

Its a hard work... but really great to be done!
Hard but worthy!!!

I am not updating this diary as much as I should because I am fixing some minor bugs, adjusting animations and including audio (which I cant demonstrate in here - only if I upload a MP3).

But one thing I can do: tell some news regarding bonus / extras.
I am planning to create a "Artwork Gallery" in my game, which will share my drafts and final art of the game - characters, stages, comics strips and so on.

It will be "unlocked" as you as complete the stages.
For instance:
Stage 1 artwork will only be available when you do complete that stage.

Also I am starting to do the "final art" on the Comic Strips that will serve as the "Story Narrator" for my game.

Heres one shot (still under work - please do notice that!):



and



Thar strips will have a correct order to be shown.


I will do my best to show one strip colored (final stage of the drawing).
There's a HUGE difference from the draft from the colored one.

Thats it... I think - hope really - that I am on the final stage for showing the demo.

Cheers...

Newbie tip... 

I was worried about framerate for my game.
The first stage was running around 24 frames per second. And that was really intriguing for me.

Ok... I do use huge images to do my background. A lot of layers and parallax effects.
But that was not ok at all.

Then, Driving my way home I did realize one thing - the loop option for the images was enabled for every each one of them.

I came home and did disable loop for all static images.
Also I did check all Physics and disable wherever I could.

The result?
24 frames per second before to 55 frames per second now!
Great improvement.

Hope that basic tip may help others!!!

Cheers.

Anyone there??? =)
No?
lol.


Just for fun I did create drafts of two new "enemies" for my game.
I already know the context where they will fit in the story.

But I am so proud of them that I wanted to share with everyone.



But proud of this simple draft???
YEAH!!! I am a developer myself. Not an artist. So its a huge achievement for me to generate those drawings.


Cheers

Were here just lurking... Im still confused on the graphics size we should be creating for our games.

Im using Stencyl 2 as well, learning myself as I go as well. My goal is to build an iPhone and iPad capable game. I'm confused on what size I should be making my actors? and the backgrounds?

Good work Gfalcaor game looks great so far..

Were here just lurking... Im still confused on the graphics size we should be creating for our games.

Im using Stencyl 2 as well, learning myself as I go as well. My goal is to build an iPhone and iPad capable game. I'm confused on what size I should be making my actors? and the backgrounds?

Good work Gfalcaor game looks great so far..

Thanks mate!!!
I will send you another PM. Explaining the Progress / Health Bar we are discussing.
I just draw a code sketch (on paper, as I am at work now) and I will try to implement it tonight or tomorrow tops.

Its the same thing you want, but you want to decrement (health) and I want to increment (progress bar).

The code I am sure will work. If so I will send you the print with the code itself so you may implement it on your game.


Regarding the scales.
Actually its simple to understand.

First thing: You need to have your game set up to Mobile & Web.
Mine was only as Web, now its Mobile and Web.

Now...
Imagine that you need to develop for ipad (max resolution - Size of the image:  1024 by 768).
So you will draw your images for it. Using that resolution.

But the iphone itself is only 320 x 480 (iphone 3 and bellow).
And Iphone 4 is 640x960.

Always do focus on the highest resolution you want to work.

As I do use Stencyl 2 yet (will subscribe to use Stencyl 3) I can only focus on 2x images. Which means 640x960.

So I am drawing my images at 640x960.
Ok?

When I do import the image to my game I do choose (its default actually) "Scale: 2x".
It means that the image was created for the 2x resolution.
When someone plays my game on Iphone 3 for instance the software will recognize it and will rescale it to 1x (320x480).

But what about the development of the game? Pixels, coordinates, and so on?
You will develop your game (the engine itself) focusing on 1x.
Which means that all your scenes will be created thinking about a 320 height and 480 width.
Ok?

In short words:
Create the images at top of the resolution itself.
Develop your game / engine at the lowest.

Stencyl do convert it for you, so you don't have to worry when testing your game.

Here is the scale option:

Today I did a little tweak on my game.
Regarding a "Hacking Progress Bar".

I was using 5 images to display the hacking progress.
But it was not flowing smoothly.

So I did a behavior that starts drawing directly on the screen.

Bellow you may see it implemented - please dont mind the "bugs" that appears afterwards as they are part of the game in my soon to-do list to improve them.
Even the main character seeing from behind I am going to change.
Its too flat in my opinion.

I created a progress bar ages ago. Didn't get to add a gradient color to it thou
http://community.stencyl.com/index.php/topic,11188.msg67198.html#msg67198